Dear Berryessa Community, 

As spring nears, I sincerely appreciate your support and dedication to our school district. Your efforts and unwavering commitment contribute towards our students’ success. 

March marks the beginning of spring and Women’s History Month, a time dedicated to honoring the extraordinary contributions of women throughout history. Their resilience,

strength, and determination inspire us to strive for excellence and equity in education.  

During Women’s History Month, let’s cherish and celebrate the women who surround us – from the nurturing presence of moms and grandmas to the enduring bonds with sisters and aunts. Their strength and love enrich our lives every day. 

Together, as parents and educators, we empower the next generation of leaders to impact the world positively. Being on time and ready to learn lays the foundation for our students’ success. We extend our heartfelt appreciation to everyone for their passion for creating a supportive and inclusive learning environment for them. 

Thank you for all that you do to make our school community a place where everyone can thrive. 

Sincerely, 

Roxane Fuentes 

Superintendent 

Watch Dr. Fuentes reading a book celebrating Women’s History Month 

While celebrating Women’s History Month and recognizing the achievements of women in every field, we welcome Jannet Odom as Interim Principal at Majestic Way. She was an instructional coach and long-time teacher leader within our district, and has now accepted a new leadership role to continue supporting students and the Majestic Way school community. Please be sure to say hello and introduce yourselves when you see her on campus.

Congratulations to the staff, students and community of Morrill for being selected as a 2024 California Distinguished School by the California Department of Education! We are proud of you! Your dedication and commitment to excellence has been recognized. 

Since its inception in 1985, the California Distinguished Schools Award remains one of the state’s most important ways to celebrate exceptional schools, districts, teachers, and classified employees for their innovation, talent, and success in supporting students. 

The California Department of Education shared that the exceptional schools recognized this year are illustrative of the persistence and promise of California’s students, educators, and schools. Schools were selected by analyzing data reported through the 2023 California Dashboard, with a focus on demonstrating excellence and growth in academic achievement and ensuring a positive school climate. Go Tigers!

AAPI Network and Mindful Strategies

BUSD is embracing mindfulness as a key strategy for success, and we are delighted to highlight a panel that was presented at the Santa Clara County Office of Education during a quarterly Asian American Pacific Islander network meeting last month. The AAPI network gives educators across Santa Clara County opportunities to learn about trending topics and to discuss issues and challenges related to AAPI students and educators. Tina Choy, principal of Cherrywood, facilitated the discussion about the work that has been done around mindfulness district-wide and at Cherrywood with staff, parents, and students. These efforts are helping students engage better in the classroom through self-awareness, techniques for self-regulation, and a more positive and nurturing environment.

Key participants in the presentation included: 

• Elaine Schultz, BUSD social worker
• Betty Chen, a Cherrywood 5th grade teacher
• Om Swaroop, 4th grade Cherrywood student
• Jeannie Young, Cherrywood and Sierramont parent

We are so excited to see our BUSD community embrace these strategies to grow and develop as mindful students, parents, teachers, support staff, and leaders. Our thanks to all those involved! 

California STEAM Symposium in Long Beach  

Through the National Science Foundation Grant, BUSD teachers Antonio Romero (Toyon), Keiko Charif (Laneview), Sandhya Raman (Morrill), and Lakshimi Sundaram (Northwood) have been at the forefront of reimagining mathematics education to foster a culturally sustaining environment and nurture a positive identity in math and in computer science among students identifying as Latina. The team was invited to present this project at the California STEAM Symposium in Long Beach in February. The project presentation focused on their research and work in mathematics and computer science identity, focusing on computational thinking, redesigned lessons centering equity and cultural relevance, and the implementation experience.  

Thank you for representing Berryessa at these important events! 

Read Across America recognizes the value of literacy and celebrating the books that inspire our students to dream big, expand the limits of their understanding, and explore diverse perspectives and cultures through the eyes of others. 

We honor educators, parents, librarians, authors, mentors, and everyone who fosters the power of reading to open doors of opportunity and build greater awareness about the world around us. 

“The more that you read,” Dr. Seuss wrote, “the more things you will know. The more that you learn, the more places you’ll go.” In other words, knowledge is power. Books impart lessons that enrich our lives and spark creativity, stimulate our curiosity, promote contemplation and reflection, and affirm the possibilities available to every person. We are committed to encouraging students to read and provide guidance to reach literacy goals at every grade level. Thank you, educators and families, for joining these efforts and promoting reading every day!  

At Northwood they enjoyed flashlight reading! 

On March 7th, we hosted our annual Reclassification Ceremony and honored 190 multilingual students who fulfilled the requirements to be reclassified as English Proficient. Each student met or exceeded standards on the rigorous state assessments which include the English Language Proficiency Assessment for California Test and the state Smarter Balance Assessment in English and Math. 

This is no small feat, and it was a great delight to celebrate this achievement with family, caregivers, friends, and principals. Dr. Fuentes spoke on the value of being bilingual and multilingual, and guests were entertained by Morrill’s orchestra, Cherrywood’s very own Lion Dancers, and Summerdale's Indian Folkdancers! It was a joyous occasion. Congratulations, Berryessa students, families, and educators! 

It was very exciting to celebrate the opening of our new gymnasium at Piedmont Middle School! We appreciate our BUSD board members joining us at our ribbon cutting ceremony. We thank everyone in attendance for their participation, enthusiasm and support to make this project a reality! Lancer Gym had its first official athletic event with a boys’ basketball game after the ceremony. 

Watch highlights of the Lancer Gym Grand Opening  

Our next Board meeting will be on March 13, 2024.       

To better serve you, board meetings are now being live streamed! You can stay informed and watch these meetings from the comfort of your home. Please note that to participate in the meeting or make comments, you must attend in person. 

For more information about the BUSD Board Meetings, please click here.